Ce travail de doctorat porte sur la synthèse et utilisation de bicyclolactones glycidiques, de façon à accéder des dérivés de sucres contenant un système carbonylé α,β-insaturé. Trois types de bicyclolactones ont été étudiés: butenolides liés à des cycles furanose, butenolides fusionnés à des cycles pyranose, comprenant S- et NH-analogues et carboxyméthyle glycosides lactones (CMGLs). La méthodologie de synthèse de butenolides sur motif sucre est basée sur l’oléfination de Wittig de 3 ou 5-cétosucres et lactonisation intramoléculaire spontanée de gamma-hydroxyesters α,β-insaturés intermédiaires. Pour la synthèse des systèmes fusionnés, des furano-3-uloses protégés ont été convertis en 3-C-(éthoxycarbonyl)méthylène furanoses. Une hydrolyse acide finale permet la transestérification intramoléculaire et aussi l’isomérization du cycle en forme pyranose. Des précurseurs 5-S et 5-aminofuranosidiques ont conduit à des analogues thiosucres ou à des dérivés glycidiques ayant une fonction amide et un système carbonylé α,β-insaturé, respectivement. Les CMGLs ont été converties en 3-enopyranosid-2-uloses par l’ouverture de la lactone avec une amine et oxydation/élimination du 2-hydroxy pyranoside tri-O-acétylé obtenu. L’oléfination de Wittig subséquente a conduit aux diènes conjugués pyranosidiques ramifiés en C-2. Les glycosides contenant un groupement propargyle ont permis de préparer des 1,2,3-triazoles par ‘click’ chemistry. Quelques molécules ont été soumises à évaluation antimicrobienne et les énulosides de (N-dodécylcarbamoyl)méthyle ont montré les meilleures activités. Le composé le plus actif est l’énuloside-α qui a montré un très fort effet contre des espèces de Bacillus et une forte activité contre Enterococcus faecalis et Penicillium aurantiogriseum. Les diènepyranosides ont révélé une activité forte et sélective contre E. faecalis. Les dérivés triazolés n'ont montré aucune activité. Parmi les composés bioactifs, trois sont avérés peu toxiques chez les cellules eucaryotes. / This PhD work was focused on the synthesis and the uses of carbohydrate bicyclic lactones for the access to sugar derivatives comprising an alpha, beta-unsaturated carbonyl function. Three types of bicyclic lactones were investigated: furanose C-C-Iinked butenolides, pyranose-fused butenolides, including S-or NH-analogues and carboxymethyl glycoside lactones (CMGLs). The synthetic methodology for butenolide containing-sugars was based on the Wittig olefination of 3- or 5-keto sugars and spontaneous intramolecular lactonization of the intermediate gamma-hydroxy axy alpha,beta-unsaturated esters. In the case of the fused systems, protected furanos-3-uloses were converted into 3-C-(ethoxycarbonyl)methylene furanoses. Further acid hydrolysis elicited both intramolecular transesterification and isomerization to the pyranose ring. Introduction of a sulfur or a nitrogen function at C-5 of the furanose precursors led to thiosugar analogues or to carbohydrate derivatives comprising both an amide function and an alpha,beta-unsaturated system, respectively. CMGLs were converted into 3-enopyranosid-2-uloses by a sequence involving opening of the lactone moiety by amines and oxidation/elimination of the resulting tri-0-acetylated 2-hydroxy pyranosides. Further Wittig olefination afforded 2-C-branched-chain conjugated dienepyranosides. Glycosides bearing a propargyl moiety were engaged in "click" chemistry reactions leading to 1,2,3-triazoles. Some of the new molecules were submitted to antimicrobial evaluation and (N-dodecylcarbamoyl)methyl enulosides proved to display the best efficacy. The most active one was the a-enuloside which showed very strong effect towards Bacillus species and strong activity against Enterococcus faecalis and the fungal pathogen Penicillium aurantiogriseum. Dienepyranosides exhibited a strong activity selectively towards E. faecalis. Triazole derivatives were virtually ineffective. Three of the bioactive compounds showed low acute toxicity in eukaryotic cells.

<p>Proteins with highly specific binding properties constitute the basis for many important applications in biotechnology and medicine. Immunoglobulins have so far been the obvious choice but recent advances in protein engineering have provided several novel constructs that indeed challenge antibodies. One class of such binding proteins is based on the 58 residues three-helix bundle Z domain from staphylococcal protein A (SPA). These so-called affibodies are selected from libraries containing Z domain variants with 13 randomised positions at the immunoglobulin Fc-binding surface. This thesis aims to describe the principles for molecular recognition in two protein-protein complexes involving affibody proteins. The first complex is formed by the Z_SPA-1 affibody binding to its own ancestor, the Z domain (Kd ~1 μM). The second complex consists of two affibodies: Z_Taq, originally selected to bind Taq DNA polymerase, and anti-Z_Taq, an anti-idiotypic binder to Z_Taq with a Kd ~0.1 μM. The basis for the study is the determination of the three-dimensional structures using NMR spectroscopy supported by biophysical characterization of the uncomplexed proteins and investigation of binding thermodynamics using isothermal titration calorimetry. The free Z_SPA-1 affibody is a molten globule-like protein with reduced stability compared to the original scaffold. However, upon target binding it folds into a well-defined structure with an interface topology resembling that displayed by the immunoglobulin Fc fragment when bound to the Z domain. At the same time, structural rearrangements occur in the Z domain in a similar way as in the Fc-binding process. The complex interface buries 1632 Ų total surface area and 10 out of 13 varied residues in Z_SPA-1 are directly involved in inter-molecular contacts. Further characterization of the molten globule state of Z_SPA-1 revealed a native-like overall structure with increased dynamics in the randomised regions (helices 1 and 2). These features were reduced when replacing some of the mutated residues with the corresponding wild-type Z domain residues. The nature of the free Z_SPA-1 affects the thermodynamics of the complex formation. The contribution from the unfolding equilibrium of the molten globule was successfully separated from the binding thermodynamics. Further decomposition of the binding entropy suggests that the conformational entropy penalty associated with stabilizing the molten globule state of Z_SPA-1 upon binding seriously reduces the binding affinity. The Z_Taq:anti-Z_Taq complex buries in total 1672 Ų surface area and all varied positions in anti-Z_Taq are directly involved in binding. The main differences between the Z:Z_SPA-1 and the Z_Taq:anti-Z_Taq complexes are the relative subunit orientation and certain specific interactions. However, there are also similarities, such as the hydrophobic interface character and the role of certain key residues, which are also found in the SPA:Fc interaction. Structural rearrangements upon binding are also common features of these complexes. Even though neither Z_Taq nor anti-Z_Taq shows the molten globule behaviour seen for Z_SPA-1, there are indications of dynamic events that might affect the binding affinity. This study provides not only a molecular basis for affibody-target recognition, but also contributions to the understanding of the mechanisms regulating protein stability and protein-protein interactions in general.</p>

The interaction between two 6 kDa proteins has been investigated. The studied complex of micromolar affinity (Kd) consists of the Z domain derived from staphylococcal protein A and the related protein ZSPA-1, belonging to a group of binding proteins denoted affibody molecules generated via combinatorial engineering of the Z domain. Affibody-target protein complexes are good model systems for structural and thermodynamic studies of protein-protein interactions. With the Z:ZSPA-1 pair as a starting point, we determined the solution structure of the complex and carried out a preliminary characterization of ZSPA-1. We found that the complex contains a rather large (ca. 1600 Å2) interaction interface with tight steric and polar/nonpolar complementarity. The structure of ZSPA-1 in the complex is well-ordered in a conformation that is very similar to that of the Z domain. However, the conformation of the free ZSPA-1 is best characterized by comparisons with protein molten globules. It shows a reduced secondary structure content, aggregation propensity, poor thermal stability, and binds the hydrophobic dye ANS. This molten globule state of ZSPA-1 is the native state in the absence of the Z domain, and the ordered state is only adopted following a stabilization that occurs upon binding. A more extensive characterization of ZSPA-1 suggested that the average topology of the Z domain is retained in the molten globule state but that it is represented by a multitude of conformations. Furthermore, the molten globule state is only marginally stable, and a significant fraction of ZSPA-1 exists in a completely unfolded state at room temperature. A complete thermodynamic characterization of the Z:ZSPA-1 pair suggests that the stabilization of the molten globule state to an ordered three helix structure in the complex is associated with a significant conformational entropy penalty that might influence the binding affinity negatively and result in an intermediate-affinity (µM) binding protein. This can be compared to a dissociation constant of 20-70 nM for the complex Z:Fc of IgG where Z uses the same binding surface as in Z:ZSPA-1. Structure analyses of Z in the free and bound state reveal an induced fit response upon complex formation with ZSPA-1 where a conformational change of several side chains in the binding surface increases the accessible surface area with almost 400 Å2 i.e. almost half of the total interaction surface in the complex. Two cysteine residues were introduced at specific positions in ZSPA-1 for five mutants in order to stabilize the conformation of ZSPA-1 by disulfide bridge formation. The mutants were thermodynamically characterized and the binding affinity of one mutant showed an improvement by more than a factor of ten. The improvement of the introduced cysteine bridge correlates with an increase in binding enthalpy rather than with entropy. Further analysis of the binding entropy suggests that the conformational entropy change in fact is reduced but its favorable contribution is opposed by a less favorable desolvation enthalpy change. These studies illustrate the structural and thermodynamic complexity of protein-protein interactions, but also that this complexity can be dissected and understood. In this study, a comprehensive characterization of the ZSPA-1 affibody has gained insight into the intricate mechanisms involved in complex formation. These theories were supported by the design of a ZSPA-1 mutant with improved binding affinity. / QC 20100924

Proteins with highly specific binding properties constitute the basis for many important applications in biotechnology and medicine. Immunoglobulins have so far been the obvious choice but recent advances in protein engineering have provided several novel constructs that indeed challenge antibodies. One class of such binding proteins is based on the 58 residues three-helix bundle Z domain from staphylococcal protein A (SPA). These so-called affibodies are selected from libraries containing Z domain variants with 13 randomised positions at the immunoglobulin Fc-binding surface. This thesis aims to describe the principles for molecular recognition in two protein-protein complexes involving affibody proteins. The first complex is formed by the ZSPA-1 affibody binding to its own ancestor, the Z domain (Kd ~1 μM). The second complex consists of two affibodies: ZTaq, originally selected to bind Taq DNA polymerase, and anti-ZTaq, an anti-idiotypic binder to ZTaq with a Kd ~0.1 μM. The basis for the study is the determination of the three-dimensional structures using NMR spectroscopy supported by biophysical characterization of the uncomplexed proteins and investigation of binding thermodynamics using isothermal titration calorimetry. The free ZSPA-1 affibody is a molten globule-like protein with reduced stability compared to the original scaffold. However, upon target binding it folds into a well-defined structure with an interface topology resembling that displayed by the immunoglobulin Fc fragment when bound to the Z domain. At the same time, structural rearrangements occur in the Z domain in a similar way as in the Fc-binding process. The complex interface buries 1632 Å2 total surface area and 10 out of 13 varied residues in ZSPA-1 are directly involved in inter-molecular contacts. Further characterization of the molten globule state of ZSPA-1 revealed a native-like overall structure with increased dynamics in the randomised regions (helices 1 and 2). These features were reduced when replacing some of the mutated residues with the corresponding wild-type Z domain residues. The nature of the free ZSPA-1 affects the thermodynamics of the complex formation. The contribution from the unfolding equilibrium of the molten globule was successfully separated from the binding thermodynamics. Further decomposition of the binding entropy suggests that the conformational entropy penalty associated with stabilizing the molten globule state of ZSPA-1 upon binding seriously reduces the binding affinity. The ZTaq:anti-ZTaq complex buries in total 1672 Å2 surface area and all varied positions in anti-ZTaq are directly involved in binding. The main differences between the Z:ZSPA-1 and the ZTaq:anti-ZTaq complexes are the relative subunit orientation and certain specific interactions. However, there are also similarities, such as the hydrophobic interface character and the role of certain key residues, which are also found in the SPA:Fc interaction. Structural rearrangements upon binding are also common features of these complexes. Even though neither ZTaq nor anti-ZTaq shows the molten globule behaviour seen for ZSPA-1, there are indications of dynamic events that might affect the binding affinity. This study provides not only a molecular basis for affibody-target recognition, but also contributions to the understanding of the mechanisms regulating protein stability and protein-protein interactions in general. / QC 20101025